All For Chance
by Pop-X-Tart
Summary: After the Pandoran War, only two humans are allowed to remain on Pandora. Norm Spellman and Max Patel. Only, they didn't suspect the chance of anyone else. Chance is, she was right under their noses.
1. Chapter 1

**All For Chance**

_After the Pandoran War, only two humans are allowed to remain on Pandora. Norm Spellman and Max Patel. Only, they didn't suspect the chance of anyone else. Chance is, she was right under their noses._

_[Slow burn] [eventual romance] [Tsu'tey is a major stubborn prideful pain in the behind so patience is a must] [Minor language, possible blood] [Italics is the Na'vi language]_

_Just to sum things up. Thanks for reading._

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* * *

Max Patel's day started like any other.

The warm morning light of Pandora greeted him, just around six thirty his clock displayed. Though, it wasn't just his tired, bleary eyes deceiving him when the clock's screen flickered. The building's reserves of power were fading. It made sense, since the humans of the RDA left some time ago. And with them went all the generators and power units.

He lets his head fall back into the pillow for just a minute more. With a heavy grunt he pushes out of the single sized bunk and makes his way to the restroom, sock covered feet barely lifting from the cold tile floors. A few short minutes later he emerges from the steamy area, towel hanging around his neck. He wore a loose white t-shirt and some shorts, comfortably enough. Max eyes his messy sheets left behind and shrugs his shoulder.

No need in fixing what he'd just make another mess of soon enough anyway.

With that he makes his way through the empty facility, thinking of what needed to be done today. Each step is quiet and free- not running into a single thing. Or person. And considering Norm was already out, there wasn't anyone else. Unlike how it'd been just barely a month ago. Back then, shoulder to shoulder with countless people always rushing about…

It was a complete change.

Unbelievably for the better these days. His pace turns towards the rec room, where the smallest sound can echo across the large space. On the far side of the room with all the windows he can see a few forms moving at a distance.

"Never a dull moment." He breathes to himself, starting for the kitchens until he stops abruptly. On one of the many empty tables filling the room is a crumpled wrapper. After a moment an amused expression tugs his lips upwards. He grabs a pre-made meal, one of many countless left to accommodate the now current lack of humans, and takes a seat at one of the tables. Max is content to eat and think to himself, occasionally shaking his head.

When the door behind him opens, he turns his head and raises his brows.

"So much for that all native diet, huh?"

Norm's smile fades as he walks over. By the light sheen on his skin, he must have just finished a morning jog with the locals. "What are you talking about?"

Max nods his head over. "Wrapper. Figured you'd cave in one of these days."

Norm walks over to the table, murmuring. "I _didn't_ cave though." As he looks the wrapper over, he suddenly tosses it away from him, dusting his hands. "It's peanut butter. I couldn't have eaten it." His friend points out, looking back at him. "Allergic."

At this, Max stops chewing and stares at him. "Think one of the Na'vi came in here?" He doubtfully wondered.

Norm dryly laughed. "The only reason they keep Hell's Gate standing and not burned to the ground is for us. We couldn't live anywhere else. Besides, they like keeping this place as a touring hotspot. It's fine for visiting on the outside and telling stories, but none of them ever touch the buildings, much less come _inside_. So no, I doubt any of them would come in here… And know where the food is kept, _and_ know how to open a wrapper."

Max had stopped eating, staring down at the table. Then he glanced up to his friend's patient gaze. "Hey I know I got a sweet tooth but it wasn't me."

"Eh." Norm dismissed, turning briefly to the table and shrugging his shoulders. "No biggie. You probably just forgot."

Max nodded slightly and went back to eating. "How is that diet going anyway?"

"It has its challenges." Norm sat across from him, eyes absentmindedly resting on Max's tray. "I'm used to the basics like fruits, but the Na'vi dishes are so complex, all those ingredients blended together, it still gets me." He uneasily held his stomach and winced. "Stuff's good for sure, but for a human stomach it's tough. Too foreign sometimes." He cracked a smile, though it dropped when Max waved a slab of bacon in front of him.

"Tempting… so tempting…" Max sang cryptically, at least till Norm scoffed in his throat, amused. "You wish."

"Ah, don't be jealous man. When these reserves go out I'll be there dieting with you." Max snickered. Norm raised an amused brow towards the kitchen. "In that case…I'll see you at the Na'vi dinner table in about ten years."

They laughed before falling into a comfortable silence. Max eventually pushed his empty tray aside and leaned on the table.

"You going out with Ra'nu today, right?"

A smile broke out over Norm's face. "Yeah, that's today. She's been wanting to show off the gardens not far from home-tree. But Jake wanted to make sure all the wildlife wouldn't be a problem. Things not exactly a problem to them are still huge to us. Literally." He faltered. "So he's been clearing the path, setting up patrol in some places." Norm rubbed the back of his head, thoughtfully. "Not just for us though. Plenty little Na'vi children go on the paths." He shrugged.

"In that case give him my thanks. I won't be able to talk to him or the others for a while. I swear there's something weird going on with the energy reserves." Max quietly admits, shaking his head. "I just gotta figure it out."

"You mean like the purified water levels dropping? Or random snack-napping's?" Norm pointed jerked his thumb back, grinning. "Could be a leak or giant rat."

"I'm serious. I have the records for our intake since everybody left, so it was just between the two of us. Then about two weeks ago I noticed it."

Norm sighed. "We don't have all the technology or the power to run it anymore. Makes sense a few things might slip by us." He shrugged. "Don't let a leaky water tank stop you from enjoying life, Max. You got plenty friends out there." Norm offered a smile and got to his feet. With that he left the room, leaving Max staring at the table. Max knew he was right. Norm almost always was.

But this… Something was just bugging him, and in his scientific mind, lacking proper tools like Norm had mentioned, it was a sure cause to steadily drive him crazy.

.

.

.

Even if it was through a mask, he could clearly tell it was a beautiful day. Countless Na'vi had made the once forbidden zone of Hell's Gate a place for curiosity and the retelling of one of their greatest stories of victory and bravery. Max smiled as he leaned over a railing, watching the countless azure natives of all sizes going around. From different clans of great distances by their clothing, their ages, all sorts were here. Most curious…some stern and guarded.

All sorts of faces came through here every day. And a number of them were curious enough to point at him and gawk, or simply wave shyly. Most would stare, either harshly or blankly. Max was used to it by now. He was one of the few humans left to be admired for helping the great Jake Sully, or ignored altogether for what he was.

The man shut his eyes, listening to the sounds of everyone going about. It sounded like a theme park, minus the trash humans tended to leave…

Norm was right, he figured. He couldn't let his wonder about idle things stop him from the bigger picture. As for his friend, Max was sure Norm had definitely invested in a big picture. His 'friend', Ra'nu, happened to be an Omaticayan local that had taken an interest in Norm.

Oh sure, their story was their love for botany and the furthering of knowledge, but everyone knew better. Even with the massive height difference, old Norm would turn bright pink at any lingering smiles or looks. And Ra'nu, bright-eyed and broad smiling, would hide behind her cluster of braids.

Awkward definitely, but cute. Max wasn't sure what would come of them. Norm still had his avatar body of course, but solar-powered energy would dwindle to nothing for a transfer. And Norm still had to take care of his human body, so he never could stay out for long. At best it took about a full week to charge a transfer, but even then, Max wondered why the levels had been dropping.

Norm should be able to use his avatar by now, but he couldn't.

A sigh leaves his mask fogging up briefly. Right, there was no sense in-

_Beep_\- Went his watch, causing him to lift his wrist. Besides the time, Max had tinkered with it enough for it to keep watch on the reserves. With it being solar powered too, it was another good reason for Norm to bug him about spending some time outside. Only now, Max could clearly see the reserves dwindling yet again. His brown eyes focused on the tiny screen, scanning for the scant amount of information it provided.

It was by a few small points, barely tipping it down from 98.5%. But sure enough, it was still lowering, and in the recreational building. Max turned his head behind him, staring for a moment at the door. Norm had left with Ra'nu some time ago. And besides that, no one else would actually go inside a building. The Na'vi adults were too large, and respected Jake enough not to when he asked they didn't anyway. And children were too skittish and respectful of their parents to disobey them.

He looked back out the crowds, growing frantic. Max knew he'd seen Jake earlier. The human turned Na'vi had been walking around not long ago, talking to a few others. Jake came out here now and then, _with_ _reluctance_, only to visit his human friends. There weren't many fond memories for him here, but what it had turned into- a testament of Na'vi strength, was the only good aspect. Minus the 'sky-people' being gone.

"Jake!" He called, which was lost to the crowds. Apparently being one of the few humans had its perks. A tall, familiar Na'vi strides over to him after taking notice. The clearer Tsu'tey's features became, the more Max felt his throat go dry. The warrior's fierce golden eyes remaining on his as he walked over left the smaller human unnerved and clutching the railing.

"Jake has moved on." Tsu'tey calmly spoke, staring up at the railing from which Max was glued to. Max nodded. "I-I just-"

"What have you need of, Max Patel?" The second in command questioned in his thick, yet clear accent. His patience must have been wearing by the slow swish of his tail behind him. That or he still hated talking in English.

Max swallowed and pointed back. "I've been noticing our power supply has been dropping lately, but I'm right _here_ and Norm isn't here. _I need Jake_.. Something weird is going on." He worried, doubting the warrior understood much of it. Surprisingly a guarded look flared through his golden orbs. He understood perfectly- and just what was being hinted towards.

"Take me to this…this power drainage." Tsu'tey glanced at the watch, eyes flashing back upwards. He was more perceptive than Max gave him credit for. With a hasty nod, Max led him around the building. Though more like he had to run so Tsu'tey could just briskly walk. The railing around the building went down towards the main entrance, making the warrior that much taller as Max jogged down. The front doors were large, and just enough for the tall Na'vi to duck under and through.

Max stole a glance at his watch, still briskly walking and not wanting to keep him waiting. "I'm tracing it to the sanitation department. The thing is these drops never last long."

"Then_ I_ suggest we hurry."

With no warning at all, Tsu'tey pinched the back of Max's shirt between his fingers, easily lifting him up. Then, bending, he ran through the halls with the human, following his guidance. Poor Max would shout out left or right, all the while trying to read his watch. Luckily there was no need to tell him to hurry. Even bent at the shoulders for the human-sized hallways, Tsu'tey was swift and effortlessly agile. Though he didn't like being in here at all. His golden eyes glared at any and everything, especially at the coldness of the unnaturally smooth tile floors.

"There!" Max let out a hard breath. The hallway across from them had a pair of double doors, and a lack of windows for obvious reasons. The sanitation department was basically the public restrooms and showers. Meant mainly for staff and the soldiers who had to share rooms. Max was placed down and held open the door, eyes looking around.

"Hang on- thanks for getting me this far." Obviously Tsu'tey couldn't get through the doors, leaving Max to hurry through. The men's and women's sides were on far sides of the room. Max found nothing apparently wrong on the men's side, so he briskly started for the other, brow furrowed. Waiting obviously wasn't his strong spot; Tsu'tey crouched, frowned, and looked around the area. His tail was wildly whipping behind him, mentally cursing himself for acknowledging the human in the first place.

It was quiet until a yell echoed- Max's.

Instantly Tsu'tey crouched lower, eyes blaring on the other side of the glass doors. "Max Patel!" In one swift move of his hands, Tsu'tey broke through the doors, glass shattering. Nimbly he was able to squeeze through, not getting cut with his feet used to all sorts of terrain. Max came running out, flushed red and holding his right cheek.

"Up in the vents! Don't let them escape!"

It registered to the warrior that tiny amounts of blood were seeping between the man's fingers, and, the sound of thumping above him. Tsu'tey's ears flicked upwards, twitching as the sounds grew closer. Slowly, he pushed upright on his feet, as much as the low ceiling would allow. Then, in a split second he shot his hand up, causing the panels of ceiling to collapse. Among that debris and paneling was a larger blur that crashed straight onto the ground.

Tsu'tey and Max withdrew, eyes wide, though the Na'vi was the one to whip out his knife and take a stance. Amid their rushing hearts, they soon realized the source unveiled wasn't moving. They shared a glance until Max hurried over, stepping around the debris and glass shards. Max grabbed a large piece of panel and tossed it back. Instantly his breath caught and he snapped upright.

Face-down in the mess was a woman, an unconscious human more exactly. After a still, stunned moment, Max snapped out of it and rolled her over. His eyes glanced up and he felt his heart rush. "Damn it, she's bleeding from the head. I have to get her to the clinic." As Max struggled to pick up the woman, with the floor being wet from a now leaking pipe somewhere and the coated ground, his grip fumbled and he grew more frantic. At least till Tsu'tey reached down, picking the woman up by her middle with one hand.

"Show me to this clinic. Jake must know about this." Tsu'tey stated, frowning massively and stiffly glancing at the human in his grasp. Of course, Max could tell he wasn't happy about this discovery. So he showed him to the clinic, and after dropping the strange woman off on a bed, the warrior was quick to leave. As for Max, he'd done his best to wrap up the woman's head and access her injuries, but unconscious, he couldn't do much for her. So he sat back in a plastic chair, finally breathing. But all he could do was stare at the ceiling and sit.

There was another human on Pandora.

.

.

.

The small group briskly walked down the halls…although crouched. Their expressions ranged in severity of seriousness. With Jake taking the lead, he was all too familiar with the route to the clinic. Only his frown worsened by the fact he was in these buildings again when he swore never again. Neytiri followed at his side, glancing at him rapidly aside from her distrust at being in this place.

It was only minutes ago Tsu'tey had found his leader, halfway between the new Home Tree and Hell's Gate. He and a few others were returning home. At least until he saw the expression on his friend's face. Tsu'tey had pulled him aside, away from any curious ears, minus Neytiri. Before any question could be asked, Tsu'tey gravely spoke four words.

"_There is another human."_

And with that they were here again. Jake had to speak as they went, frustrated and anxious. _"I thought we rounded them all up. We checked every nook and cranny."_

"_We did."_ Tsu'tey spoke, face scrunching in disdain. "_We had our best hunters search everything for hours. Just so we could avoid something like this_."

It being too late now was an understatement. Amid that anxiousness, Jake was fearful inside. What if it was a soldier? There'd be no protecting them from the natives. Not even if Jake ordered peace. Neytiri took his hand at one point, but he didn't register it. His golden eyes were darkened with thoughts swarming his mind. When they rounded the last corner, Max stood waiting outside the clinic. His head snapped up and he met them the rest of the way.

"Glad you're here. She's sleeping right now-" Max looked back, seemingly struggling to gather his words with his tall friend here. "So you know about as much as I do right now."

Jake's ears flickered back against his head. He was hesitant a moment. "Injuries?"

"Yeah, concussion at least. I don't know how bad. I think one of her ribs might be broken from the fall. It'd hurt about any human."

"Anyone we know?"

Max shook his head. "Not that I could recognize, anyway… Definitely not in the Avatar program, or military."

Jake looked at him quickly. "What makes you think she isn't?"

"Doesn't meet the physical requirements. There were other departments though."

It was true enough, Jake just didn't consider them. Human Resources, kitchen, cleaning, maintenance, there were many possibilities. At his side he feels Neytiri take his arm. "_Jake, we have to hope in the chance she will not be like them. Word must not spread to our people_."

This was something he knew all too well. Only, he didn't want to think of peoples' reaction. So he turns his head, meeting Tsu'tey's quiet expression. The warrior merely nodded. He wouldn't be telling anyone. Jake took a moment to breathe and collect his thoughts. "I still want to see her." So Max stepped aside and gestured. It was a tight squeeze, as it would be for any Na'vi, but he was lithe enough to manage. The clinic was smaller than he remembered, since the only time he recalled being here was a small closed off area that led to the outside. Here though it was tidy and white, unused for a good while now. Laying in a bed across the room was the small figure of a human.

Under normal circumstances, there would have been an I.V with all the stats, or at least some machines going. Only a few lights now hummed to remain on- all that _was_ on in the area. Electricity use was very scarce. But the fluorescent lights allowed Jake to see clearly without the natural light. The woman was about average sized, maybe five foot five at best. A hundred twenty to thirty pounds. Mid to late twenties. Her skin was pale and ghostly from an apparent lacking of decent sunlight- which made sense if she were to be undiscovered. A mop of damp, dirty blonde hair was sprawled out on the pillow under her head, limp and straight. Covering her forehead entirely was a bandage wrapped snug, and up to her chest a white medical blanket was pulled up over her. Dainty. It was what came to mind as his eyes roamed her features. Thin brows, straight nose, and a lower lip a touch larger than her cupid's bow. But most of it was cut and bruised. The woman's cheeks were flushed pink though, and for a human under a blanket, it was fairly hot. Jake slowly pulled it down enough it would cover her lower half. At once he stopped.

Little Band-Aids covered her arms, a few bandages here and there from the glass. There would undoubtedly be bruising in some places. Only then did he see why Max had pulled the blanket up so high. There wasn't much else under the woman's white t-shirt. Jake, recalling humans tended to be a bit more…well-endowed, cleared his throat and cut his eyes aside.

He'd have to learn more when she was awake. The others were waiting outside, perhaps patient as he needed to think and decide judgement. Or hold off, in this case. Visibly calmer now, Jake lowered his eyes when he stepped out.

"Max, let me know when she wakes up. Tsu'tey will be here so word can be relayed to me." He turned, meeting his brother's surprised look. "_I need you here in case she tries anything. If she did that to Max_," he gestured to the man, who remembering his cheek winced, "_we need someone here to keep the peace. Or enforce it. I wouldn't have anyone else doing this_."

Tsu'tey nodded at once. _"I understand_." He held his leader's gaze till he and Neytiri left together. The warrior clenched his fists, realizing he didn't know how long he would be stuck in this cold, alien place. His gaze must've been something awful. Max winced and turned away. "I'll be cleaning the sanitation area then. Give me a holler if… yeah you get the idea." With that the unnerved human hurried off, not once looking back. Tsu'tey puffed out a breath through his nose, slow to sit on the ground and stare into the clinic.

Dare the stranger so much as breathe the wrong way or fidget, it would never escape his notice. As tedious and boring as it was, it couldn't compare to the disdain he felt from the environment around him. He could smell them still. Hear the sound of the sky-people's boots echoing and the loading of their guns.

Tsu'tey's lip pulled up as he settled his gaze back to the sleeping human. And now, just when he can barely stand that Norm Spellman and Max Patel, here another had popped up. Much like the annoyed vein throbbing on his temple.

One could only hope her reaction to such a face wouldn't worsen her health when she would wake...


	2. Chapter 2

"I can't believe there was actually something to it."

Norm's words are enough for Max to stare at him from across the table, eyes squinted, and lips thinned. He clearly wasn't amused. Norm does a double take at his friend's expression and appears sheepish. "Hey...I'm sorry for not believing you Max. It's just…weird things happen in life and I figured it was one of them. I didn't actually think there was a stowaway here."

Max let out a slow breath from his nose. He rubs the side of his face till remembering the scratches by the stinging there. So he drops his hand back down. "She was real alright. So were her nails when I walked in on her. Guess I deserved that."

Norm looked at him. "Was she completely…y'know."

"No. Dressing. Still, it was enough." He turned his head aside, glancing out the windows of the rec room. Max knew Tsu'tey was a few turns away at the clinic. Still waiting, surely. It had only been a few short hours, and he knew better than to trouble the Na'vi unnecessarily. So he focused on his curious human friend who'd returned only minutes ago. "I just don't know why she was so secretive about it. Do you think she purposely tried to stay here…?"

Norm shrugged, brows raised as he thought. "I don't see how or why. They combed this place pretty good." He recalled. "But I guess even a risky life here is better than anything back home."

Max pinched the bridge of his nose, sighing. "True enough…"

A silence fell over the two, both filled with thought. Norm lifted his eyes. "How did Jake take it?"

"Wasn't happy." Max murmured, eyes still focused on the table. He'd since folded his hands under his chin, perhaps to stop accidentally touching his cheek. "Worried, rightfully so. For now he just wants everybody who knows to keep quiet…"

Norm nodded.

Max stared. "That means Ra'nu…" At this Norm lifted his eyes again. "What are you saying?" Max shifted, cautious. "I'm…just saying. She's very social." The man across from him narrowed his eyes. "Are you saying she talks a lot?"

Max had to crack a smile. "A little-" At this Norm got up to leave. "B-But it's not bad! It's cute! Quirky! But seriously don't tell her. You know Jake would agree." Norm glances at him from the corner of his eyes, but he still wasn't happy. "Alright…" He agreed, reluctantly. "But at the first signs of this lady waking up I wanna be there. I've got so many questions." Norm looked off, gesturing his head was about to explode. Max cracked a smile.

"You and me both… I might actually need you there if it involves Tsu'tey…"

At Norm's smirk he rolled his eyes. "Not a word, Norm. Not a word."

.

.

.

Pain was the only thing evident as time wore on. By the slow furrow of her brows, to the lips tugging downwards, and the steady curling of her body, it was clear to see. Tsu'tey's eyes were trained like a hawk the moment the human first shifted. Then she fidgeted her arms uncomfortably, following her toes curling into the bedding. A labored breath left the unconscious woman, eyes still closed, yet her arms wrapped across her middle.

"**Sh*t…" **she groaned.

Unimpressed, and growing uneasy, Tsu'tey pushed to his feet and went to retrieve the others. A minute later he followed behind the running two, who slid into the clinic. The men go to each side of her bedside, though Max was the one to lean over and hold the bed's railings.

"Hey, can you hear me?"

It was that stage between sleep and being awake, an uncomfortable moment stuck between the two. As Max struggled to get the woman's attention, Tsu'tey stood in the hallway, tail darting behind him. He was torn between watching and reporting back to Jake. "Is she going to wake or not?" he demanded. Max spared him a brief glance. "Go ahead and tell Jake. It won't be much longer." Then he lifted his head to Norm. "Get me the I.V and morphine. And a flashlight. Running that thing is going to use a lot of power so we don't have time for overhead lights." Nodding, his friend rushed off to fetch the items. This left Max to grab a rag and soak it with his water bottle. Hastily he folded the rag and lay it over the woman's neck. The neck was the fastest way to heat or cool a body, and right now her temperature was sure to rise from the pain.

By the time Norm returns, Max spares a glance out of the room. Tsu'tey is long gone. That taken care of, Max sets to work in setting up the I.V while Norm connects it to a charged panel. "Okay, we've got a slow drip going. At best we can keep this running for about six hours."

Max nodded, watching as the morphine slowly ran down the tube into the woman's vein. After a moment her tight features relaxed. "We'll keep it going in intervals. That way the solar panels can charge what we use. But we need to try and conserve as much energy as we can to make it last through the night." Max then rolled up his sleeves and spared Norm a glance. "Hold onto her arms. I need to palpate for any broken ribs… I'd kill for a lousy x-ray right about now." He murmured, moving his hands down to the woman. As Norm stabilized her arms, Max worked his way up from each pair of ribs.

Feeling each was fine he moved up a little more, and once reaching the middle area of her ribs, a breath arched. Only it was neither of the two. Green eyes flew open.

And then the terrified screaming began.

"Hold her down Norm!" Max bared his teeth, mostly worried about the I.V being ripped out. "Would you calm down?! We're not going to hurt you!"

"Get _off_ of me! _Get away_!"

"We said we're not going to hurt you! Take a breath!" Norm struggled. Gradually, the thrashing stopped, though the woman's breath was frantic. She arched her good arm, pushing both the men away. They slowly complied but kept still, breathing slow. After a moment to stare them both down, the woman warily looks around the room. Even as she begins to grit her teeth and curl on her aching rib, she's guarded.

"…where is Quaritch?"

The two men glanced at each other. "Quaritch is dead..." Max speaks, slow to look her over. "Look, you've got an I.V that we won't be any help at fixing if you rip it out. Plus you have a concussion and broken rib… Will you please take it easy…?"

After a moment to distrustfully look at them she nodded. Norm took a hesitant step closer. "What's your name? And why were you hiding?"

The dirty haired blonde took a minute. Sensing there were no threats, her breathing lightened and her eyes trailed over to the I.V. "My name is Chance. Chance Pancelli… And I was hiding because Quaritch was going to kill me."

"Why?" Max questioned, furrowing his brows.

Chance let out a breath. "Look buddy, my head is spinning and I feel like I'm going to throw up. Can we save this for later?"

Norm glances at his friend and nods. "Sure, sure. Just rest easy." That said, the two walk out of the room. Side by side they're silent a moment. "You don't think she'll try anything?" Norm wondered.

"With the I.V? No. She looked nauseous when she looked at it, so I doubt she'll mess with it. As if she didn't look tired enough… Do you think there's truth to what she was saying? About hiding from Quaritch?"

"No telling now. We'll have to find out later. For now…" Norm trails off, watching as two tall Na'vi men appear at the end of the hall. Max takes a breath as Jake hurries over.

"Jake, I know what you're going to ask. Yes, for one, she's awake. But she barely handled us being there, no offense, but you would be way too much... Her name is Chance Pancelli; she was hiding because of Quaritch. No idea why but he wanted to kill her supposedly- she says."

Jake nods, thankful. "Thanks, Max. We'll still hang around for later though. There's things I need to know. Do you need Tsu'tey to manage things?"

"No, no." Max smiled, at least till he saw said Na'vi's unimpressed expression. His smile quickly dropped. "Between Norm and I we can manage."

"And are you sure of that?" Tsu'tey challenged.

"Definitely." Max simmered, glancing at anything but him. Thankfully Jake turned to his tall friend and nodded his head back. With that they left, wanting to spend as little time as possible inside these buildings. With little to do, the two humans roamed the halls, but kept close to the clinic just in case. Max furrowed his brows. "Which of us do you think is less threatening…?"

Norm thinned his lips and sent him a look. "Haha, very funny."

"No, I'm serious. It might help when talking to Chance… What's funny about that?"

"Oh, hah, nothing." Norm rubbed the back of his neck. "I'll do it. I mean I took a few classes on human psychology and I wasn't the one to walk in on her."

"I didn't know what to expect." Max sighs. "I was just trying to find who was using the power."

"Didn't know what to expect when you walk into a steamy shower?" Norm had to laugh, though it fell short. "Sorry buddy… At least you're healing up good." This left Max to roll his shoulders. "Good enough anyway… Think you're ready to talk to her now?"

Norm shrugged hopelessly. "What choice do we have? Or we could use Tsu'tey..."

"We're not trying to give her a heart attack Norm." Max chuckles. Upon returning to the clinic, they find Chance resting in the dark. Her eyes are closed, her form barely visible with the natural light from across the hall. Though, hearing footsteps, she moves her head and blearily looks at Norm. It seems the concussion has left her squinting.

"Hey there…" Norm quietly speaks. "How are you feeling?" he asks, keeping a comfortable distance from her bed. The woman takes a moment, barely looking him over before dismissing her mistrust. She seemed too tired.

"Like a blue monkey drop kicked me."

Norm ran a hand through his hair, having to turn away so he could mouth 'well then' to himself. It had been a while since he experienced such blatant rudeness. "Huh, okay. Well it makes sense considering what you went through." Slowly he sat in a chair nearby. "Is the morphine helping?"

Chance craned her head to look at the I.V drop. "…yeah… Why is it so dark in here? What happened to the power?"

Norm thoughtfully stared at her. "We don't have electricity or a means of power aside from solar. All the equipment left with everyone else… You knew they were gone right?"

"Obviously. But I didn't know about Quaritch." Chance mumbled, taking the chance to rub her head. Norm shifted in his seat. "About that…why was he trying to kill you? Oh, and here." Norm reached over to set a small plastic container in her lap. "In case my questions make you puke."

Through the dark she glances at him, lips pulling upwards for a split second till it's gone. "Right…Anyway, the thing is I was a journalist. I was one of the first sent here with the last batch of soldiers. Folks back home wanted a 'real' perspective what life was like out here. My job was mainly to write about Pandora itself, see if it was a livable prospect for humanity." Chance swallowed hard, glancing around the room. Norm makes quick work to hand her a water bottle.

"Sorry if it's warm…we don't have cooling."

Chance gives him a thankful nod and takes a swig. Afterwards she clears her throat. "As I was saying, I started writing about the locals when Quaritch took an interest in my job. He wanted me to focus on the benefits of relocating here. All the natural resources and crap." Chance turned her focus to him. "He was adamant I keep quiet about the locals. Truth is, I was curious about that…that Avatar program." She gestured, unsure of the term. "I wanted to see how they were working with the natives. Hostile, peaceful, you name it. If the people back home wanted to know, I wanted to know. But every time I tried to snag a chance to talk to Dr. Augustine, Quaritch would redirect me. Finally one day he said it would _reflect poorly on my career_ if I continued writing about _unimportant aspects."_ Chance rolled her eyes, tightening her grip on her bottle. The plastic crunching was briefly loud. "Power hungry bastard was threatening me." The woman took a minute, staring off at the wall. Her lips were steadily down-turned, but eyes recalling as she stared back at Norm.

"After that I knew I was walking on egg-shells. I kept my writing secret as much as I could, but thankfully some other drama went down and distracted Quaritch. Something about an AWOL-soldier or something pissed him off enough to forget about me." She shrugged, oblivious to Norm's smile. "And when that went down, I didn't hold back in full on investigating. Learned about the RDA and everything. Overheard their plans to uproot some big unobtainium source. Unfortunately Quaritch was so stressed he didn't hesitate to shoot me down when he saw me snooping around." She brought up the bottle to her lips, taking another swig.

"Anyway," she breathed, "he's a bad shot when he's seeing through white hot rage. I didn't want his soldiers coming after me either, so for a while I hoarded up as much food and water as I could and hid in the vents. I don't know how long I stayed up there all cooped up. Like some damn hermit packrat. Nearly got lost in them I hid so far up there." Chance shrugged, eyes falling downcast. "But it was better than being gunned down… Then, one day when my supplies were getting low, I realized why it was so quiet. Everyone was gone." Looking at him, Chance raised a brow.

"So…mind if I ask a few questions now?"

"By all means. Do you need another water?"

She nodded. Hers' was empty after about four dry glugs. After giving her another bottle, Norm sat down again a dragged a hand down his face. "Where do I begin…"

"Well, you can tell me why your friend is hanging around outside. I don't plan on scratching him again unless he's gonna peep some more." Chance murmured, rather distastefully. It left Max awkwardly popping his head in, smiling nervously. "Oh, hi there, sorry about that… And sorry for before… And for you being in this condition." He trailed off. Chance leaned back in her bed, glancing at them both.

"First question… why did everyone leave? Is it just you two?"

Norm and Max exchanged a glance. "Get comfy, Ms. Pancelli… This might be a bit shocking."

Chance sighs, leaning her head back to look at the morphine drip. "Good thing this stuff is strong…"

.

.

.

As the hours wore on and darkness fell over Pandora, Max and Norm's time with Chance grew to a halt. They had explained the main parts of what transpired. Quaritch's defeat along with the others. Humanity being sent back to the stars. Jake Sully basically being the hero of all Na'vi-kind, and his current change to become one of them. Only, the more they went on, the less Chance responded. As her eyes grew heavy, the two quieted down and eventually left. Their mutual silence was taking comfort in the fact the newest human discovery wasn't a threat. Not actually a bad person, they quietly admitted, just a little rough around the edges.

Norm muffled a yawn. "I gotta turn in. Still got that thing with Ra'nu tomorrow. She'll get suspicious if I blow her off… You don't think anyone suspects anything, right?"

"That depends how well Jake responded when he came back here earlier. They're pretty good at reading small clues. My biggest thing is they'll distrust us when she comes to light."

Norm frowned. "Let's sleep on it then." Max chuckled and nodded. "Go on ahead. I think Jake is still waiting outside." Waving, the two split up, Max changing his focus to the front entrance. Along the way he grabs one of the many masks still hanging around and straps it over his face. The night was clear and alive with wildlife, the closest two being Jake and Tsu'tey. Max briefly admired how their bio-luminescent skin shone in a few spots till they noticed him.

"Hey guys… I think she'll be ready to talk to you in the morning. She's wiped out." Max spoke, shaking his head. Jake nodded, eyes cutting over. "I'll be back in the morning then. For now I've got to let Neytiri know everything's alright. Tsu'tey, do you mind?"

As the warrior shook his head, Max took an antsy step nearer. "Jake, he doesn't have to. Chance is too injured to be a threat."

"It's not that." Jake responded with some amusement, especially as Tsu'tey smoldered a glare at the little human. "We've noticed some curious tourists lingering around lately. They must've seen how we were earlier and they're sticking around more than usual. Unless…you want to handle them if they do something."

Max faltered. "Uh…I don't- I'm not-"

Jake cracked a smile, which appeared bright in the dark. "Get some shut-eye Max. You deserve it bud." Max only sighs, doing his best not to look at the other Na'vi glaring at him. "Right. You too Jake." As he went off inside, Jake raised a brow over. "_Did…I miss something_?"

Tsu'tey merely glances at him before turning, eyeing the woods and crossing his toned arms. "_Nothing. Max Patel is simply paranoid." "Right…I'm sure it doesn't have to do with that look, either."_ At this Tsu'tey turned, questioning, but it only caused Jake to laugh and slap his 'brother's' arm. "_Goodnight. I'll be back at dawn_." Jake then started off to leave the base, leaving Tsu'tey to stand guard at the entrance and keep watch.

Still, he looks annoyed- or perhaps it was just a natural expression. He can't help but find this all ridiculous, especially over some sky people. Even if two of them had proved themselves… Still, he couldn't deny that even one, like Jake, could make a huge difference.

Tsu'tey just never figured another huge difference would ever affect him.


End file.
